When Pirates’ Eyes Are Smiling

Monday, February 19, 2018

By Maura Grace Harrington Logue

Honor St. Patrick by celebrating Irish heritage during Seton Hall University's 2nd Annual Irish Heritage Week! The Pirates of Irish Persuasion & Extraction (PIPE) Alumni Club of Seton Hall University, in collaboration with Alumni Relations, is pleased to present the week of festivities, beginning on St. Patrick's Day: Saturday, March 17, 2018. All members of the Seton Hall community are invited to represent Seton Hall at the world's best-attended and most-watched St. Patrick's Day celebration: the New York City St. Patrick's Day Parade! Alumni, students, employees, family, and friends are encouraged to march in the Parade with the University, and to attend all of the events of this special week.

"Irish heritage has been an important part of the Seton Hall experience throughout the University's existence," said Eilish R. Harrington '08, President of the PIPE Alumni Club. "It is the club's privilege to present high-quality Irish and Irish-American cultural programming for the entire University community to enjoy."

The Irish Heritage Week festivities will begin with a special Mass celebrating St. Patrick's Day at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 17, in the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception on Seton Hall's South Orange campus. Rev. Brian Needles, Director of Campus Ministry, and a recipient of the Irish Education 100 award in 2017, will be the celebrant. Sara McCabe '02 will be the cantor, singing Irish hymns. Mass will be immediately followed by a flag-raising ceremony outside the Bishop Dougherty University Center.

After the conclusion of the flag-raising ceremony, registrants will board charter buses bound for the New York City St. Patrick's Day Parade. Those registered to join the Seton Hall contingent in New York City will meet at the assembly point, and Setonians will proudly parade their Pirate and Irish pride as they represent Seton Hall, marching up 5th Avenue for the sixth consecutive year.

Preregistration is required in order to march with Seton Hall in the Parade. Register hereno later than Friday, March 9.

The festivities of Irish Heritage Week will continue at 3 p.m. on Monday, March 19, in the Theatre-in-the-Round of the University Center, with an Irish Studies Discussion Series presentation by Rev. Augustine Curley, O.S.B., a Seton Hall alumnus, Adjunct Professor of Theology, and the Prior, Abbey Librarian, and Archivist of Newark Abbey. Having earned his Ph.D. at Boston College, Fr. Augustine is a noteworthy scholar of the Irish immigrant experience and of the history of Catholicism in New Jersey. Fr. Augustine will address the audience on the topic of "Assimilation and Identity in the Irish Immigrant Experience," and will invite audience questions and dialogue after his presentation.

Enjoy an evening of Irish Songs and Recitations on Wednesday, March 21, at 7:30 p.m. The program, orchestrated by Dr. James McGlone and presented by the talented performers of the Celtic Theatre Company, will be a fitting conclusion to the week's festivities. This event will take place in the Theatre-in-the-Round of the University Center.

The March 19th and 21st events are both free of charge and open to the public. Light refreshments will be provided. Preregistration is not required but is requested. Please contact Eilish R. Harrington at eilish.harrington@shu.edu or (973) 761-9733 to register or with questions.

One week is not enough time to pay proper homage to Hibernian heritage—so mark your calendar for the PIPE Alumni Club's 8th Annual Irish Mass and Dinner, which will take place on Friday, April 20, 2018!The evening will begin with Mass celebrated in the Irish and English languages in the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception. The celebration of Catholic faith and Irish culture will continue with a festive Irish dinner in the Main Lounge of the University Center. The dinner will feature Irish entertainment, and attendees will be eligible to win fabulous door prizes. Click here to learn more and to register. Preregistration is required by Friday, April 13.

Did you know that the PIPE Alumni Club's events provide members of the Seton Hall community with opportunities to give to the Division of Volunteer Efforts (DOVE) at Seton Hall for their work with St. John's Soup Kitchen in Newark? Join the club in their philanthropic efforts by making a gift!

To learn more about the Pirates of Irish Persuasion & Extraction (PIPE) Alumni Club and to see updates about the club's events, please visit its Facebook page.